is P/F really P/F?

[Stolenspatulas]

So the school you're interested ditched ABCDF and went P/F (or maybe HP/P/F)? So will residency directors now only have information of the grade range that you've achieved on each given block, and not the numerical score? Unless there are a lot of different blocks, I would think this would lead to ties for class rank.


In a totally unrelated matter-- jk, I realize that the 1-2 book science years in the beginning have very little impact on your portfolio when applying for residency (USMLE, and rotation grades are much MUCH more important). And I've heard this many many times over that the booksmart kids who do super well in the first 1-2 years are usually not stellar at applying knowledge and acquiring the skills need to be a good physician (which is assessed in rotations). It makes sense, since the only major skill required to do well in those early years is dedication.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[AmoryBlaine]

So the school you're interested ditched ABCDF and went P/F (or maybe HP/P/F)? So will residency directors now only have information of the grade range that you've achieved on each given block, and not the numerical score? Unless there are a lot of different blocks, I would think this would lead to ties for class rank.


In a totally unrelated matter-- jk, I realize that the 1-2 book science years in the beginning have very little impact on your portfolio when applying for residency (USMLE, and rotation grades are much MUCH more important). And I've heard this many many times over that the booksmart kids who do super well in the first 1-2 years are usually not stellar at applying knowledge and acquiring the skills need to be a good physician (which is assessed in rotations). It makes sense, since the only major skill required to do well in those early years is dedication.

a. alot of P/F schools (I think) still keep more discreet numbers which factor into your class rank. So P might not always equal P. That said, years 3 and 4 and usually much more heavily weighted.

b. I think the idea that "booksmart kids" usually are subpar on the floors is a huge myth propagated by people that aren't as booksmart. The superstars on the floors are people that are booksmart and savvy, there is no substitute for knowing alot of information. I have seen quite a few people who think they can breeze through med school on their charm, it doesn't work. They end up getting asked alot of questions they don't know the answer to, and they end up forgetting to get key points of patient histories and physical exams and then looking like boneheads.

moral of the story = study hard.